BALTIMORE – Left-handed reliever Brant Hurter has joined a long list of Detroit Tigers players on the injured list.
The Tigers sent Hurter to the 15-day injured list Sunday, May 24, with lumbar spine inflammation before a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
To replace him, the Tigers (20-32) recalled right-handed reliever Ricky Vanasco from Triple-A Toledo.
There isn’t a timetable for Hurter’s return.
“We’ll get him further evaluated to see the extent of it,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Sunday’s games, “but it’s enough that he’s unable and needs to go on the injured list.”
Vanasco, 27, has allowed seven earned runs over 4⅓ innings in four appearances with the Tigers this season. He has a 0.53 ERA in 12 games over 17 innings for Toledo, with five walks and 31 strikeouts.
The Tigers have 48 players on their 40-man roster, including eight players on the 60-day injured list. From that group, 17 players are sidelined with injuries.
Hurter is the latest injury.
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The 27-year-old exited Friday’s 7-4 loss to the Orioles with two outs in the fifth inning after suffering a lower back injury on his delivery while pitching in the rain.
Hurter has a 2.84 ERA with 12 walks and 18 strikeouts across 25⅓ innings in 21 games. Left-handers hitters were limited to a .114 batting average with a .303 OPS in 48 plate appearances against him.
“It’s tough to lose Brant because he’s part of our attack plan on every lineup, especially the lefties,” Hinch said. “I trust him, especially against lefties. He’s a tough look. He can go short, he can go long. It’s another injury that we’re going to need to deal with.”
Without Hurter, the Tigers have just two left-handed relievers in their bullpen: Tyler Holton and Enmanuel De Jesus.
De Jesus could be a candidate to be optioned to Toledo when right-hander Troy Melton is activated to start Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader.
The return of Melton will require the Tigers to open spots on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters because he is coming back from the 60-day injured list.
“We have a pretty good idea of what we’re doing,” Hinch said, “but we’re going to wait until in between games.”
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If De Jesus is optioned, the Tigers will have one left-handed reliever in the bullpen as a specialist for important matchups against left-handed hitters.
That could be a big problem.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Hinch said. “It depends on which series. We’re about to play the [Los Angeles] Angels. They’re pretty heavy right-handed. We go to the [Chicago] White Sox, and they’re pretty heavy left-handed. We’re always willing to mix and match our relievers in and out, but with the injured list mounting, it’s hard to shuttle back and forth.”
Drew Sommers arrives
The Tigers called up left-handed reliever Drew Sommers as the 27th player for Sunday’s doubleheader.
He is available for both games.
“The Orioles and us decided that the 27th man could be for both games, which is how the rule works,” Hinch said, with the Orioles choosing left-handed reliever Grant Wolfram.
Sommers, 25, has a 3.10 ERA with 11 walks and 33 strikeouts across 20⅓ innings in 16 games this season for Toledo. He made his MLB debut in August 2025 but struggled in four appearances, surrendering six runs across three innings.
Sommers is expected to return to the Mud Hens after Sunday’s games.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Brant Hurter to injured list, leaving Tigers vulnerable vs lefties
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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